About Eirik

Name: Eirik Verås Larsen
Date of birth: 26/03/1976
Born: Flekkefjord
Living: Oslo
Marital status: Married to Mira
Education: Master degree (Hovedfag) in Biomechanics
Paddling since: 1986
Best Results: 2 x Olympic Champion, 5 x World Champion, 7 x European Champion

I was born in Flekkefjord on the south coast of Norway. Its a little town by the sea with 8000 inhabitants. Im born and raised there, but have now lived eight years in Sandvika, right outside Oslo, the capital of Norway.

I first started paddling when I was ten years old. I was introduced to the sport by an older neighbour, who I looked up to. I immediately liked the sport, and I was proud to be part of a club that already had some World Champions. My coach at that time was Olaf Søyland. He became world champion in K4 10 000M in 1975 and in the K2 1000M in 1979. He taught me that it was possible to become one of the best, even though I was from a little town in Norway.

At the age of 18, in 1995, I moved to Oslo to study at the The Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education, and I also started training with Knut Holmann. Training with Knut and training after Zoltan Bakos program made me a better athlete. In 2001 I became World Champion in the K2 1000m and K2 Marathon. In 2002 I won the World Championship title in the K1 1000m and in K2 Marathon. After 2002 I started working with a new coach, Ørjan Madsen. He had over 20years of coaching experience from German swimming. 2004 has been my best year so far: I won K1 in the Olympic Games in Athens and I won the K1 and K2 1000m event at the European Championships.

When I’m not paddling, I like to cook and go hunting. Hunting is of course mostly in the autumn. I hunt for deer, mountain grouse and ducks. I hunt for ducks from seakayak, which is a special experience.